Caldari Epic Arc - Penumbra

Each epic mission arc is a special series of missions tied together in a dramatic story. These are often more difficult than standard missions of "equivalent" level, but have better narrative and often better rewards. The last mission in each arc gives a significant faction standing boost - with no derived standings changes to other factions - and may also award a valuable item. Each epic arc has at least one branch point where your decision of how to continue will affect both the story and your rewards.

The epic arcs can involve a lot of travel, but many of the missions can be accepted and/or completed remotely to reduce travel time. Epic arc missions do not expire, and each arc can be repeated every three months.

"Penumbra" is the Caldari epic arc and as all epic arcs it follows a story that covers some inner dealings of its faction. You are initially hired by an agent of Nugoeihuvi, one of the seven megacorps that run the Caldari State. During the arc you will witness and participate in the power struggle between these megacorps and have the option to defect to the Hyasyoda megacorp.

"In the heartland of State space, inter-corporate tensions come to the fore as Nugoeihuvi makes a move for some quick ISK, and you must choose who to trust and who to betray. The moral ambiguity continues through to the end, as the player begins to unravel an even darker side to corporate self-interest and the ongoing conflict in Black Rise."

Requirements

To start the Epic Arc you must have a standing of 5.0 or higher with Expert Distribution or the Caldari Faction.

These missions have great rewards, but do require some advanced skills and ships to complete safely.
Recommended:

You can easily solo Level 4 missions

You have a proper PvE fitted battleship or equally capable ship such as a strategic or heavy assault cruiser

You have the Hacking skill at Level 3 or greater (required to complete "The Breakout")

Branches

During this Epic Mission Arc several choices are presented to you - this guide lists all missions, but a few descriptions are still missing, please add them if you run these missions. The mission numbers are the same as on EVE Survival.

Other Sources

This guide provides tips and suggestions that are not 'the' way to do the mission, but merely one possible way. The mission rewards listed depend on skills and possibly standings so results may vary a bit.

Initially there are 6 BS and 2 Cruisers - Trigger for next wave is Grand Admiral/High Admiral - obviously kill last

First wave is 5 BS and 4 Frig - this group has more DPS than the initial and annoying sensor damp frigs - Trigger is one of the Grand Admirals so leave both for last

Second wave is 4 BS 4 Cruisers and 5 Frigs

After the second wave has been dealt with, destroy the research facility - some more Frigs will spawn but these can be ignored/taken out with drones

Two cans will drop when the research facility is destroyed - one has the S.I Formula Sheet

When you warp in you will see a Security Compound some distance away (looks like a can on the overview) - it has some random corpse in it...if you're into that sort of thing you can go get it (it serves no purpose in these missions).

Completed in fairly standard PvE Raven with no difficulty

Mission 4: The Paths That Are Hidden

You get a mission choice here - essentially between high security, low security and null security space.
Note however that highsec option branches to a short mission chain that will in the end require either a lowsec or highsec mission as well! If you are destroyed and lose the item the epic arc is over. Be advised that the Bherdasopt gate in Gonditsa is frequently gate camped.

Your choice also pre-determines which side you align to an which reward you will get at the end of the mission arc.

'5A Two Steps Into Hell (nullsec)' or '5B Playing It Safer (lowsec)' will align you with Nugoeihuvi and the final reward will be either 20 Nugoeihuvi Synth Blue Pill Boosters plus Caldari State standing or just ISK plus Caldari State standing, depending on a choice you have to make later.

'5C An Honorable Betrayal' will align you with Hyasyoda and the final reward will be either a Hyasyoda Mobile Laboratory plus Caldari State standing or ISK plus Caldari State standing, depending on a choice you have to make later.

Mission 5A: Two Steps Into Hell (nullsec)

Take the S.I. Formula Sheet to the Nugoeihuvi Cargo Facility in KFR-ZE in Syndicate (nullsec).

An interceptor, covert ops frigate or a fast MWD frigate is recommended.

Take normal precautions in Null Sec, such as never warping directly from gate to gate to avoid bubbles.

You can warp to zero to the objective as this is a mission deadspace area - drop the formula in the container as quickly as you can and get out!

You can complete the mission remotely to get a huge amount of ISK!

Enemy: None

Mission 5B: Playing If Safer (lowsec)

Take the S.I. Formula Sheet to the Nugoeihuvi Cargo Facility in Faurulle in Solitude (lowsec).

Mission 5C: An Honorable Betrayal (highsec)

Take the S.I Formula Sheet and head 5 jumps to talk to Arkio Kuretsu. Proceed with "5C1 Proof Of Intent"

Agent: Katsen Isha

Location: Poinen

Reward: 250,000 + 227,000 (Bonus if completed in 52M)

Enemy: None

Mission 5C1: Proof Of Intent

This should take around 1 second to complete - just give the Formula Sheet to the agent.

Agent: Arikio Kuretsu

Location: Wuos

Reward: 250,000 + 661,000 (Bonus if completed in 2H 36M)

Enemy: None

Mission 5C2: Return to Isha

As the title suggests, travel 5 jumps in high sec back to Katsen Isha... don't forget the Formula Sheet!

Agent: Arikio Kuretsu

Location: Wuos

Reward: 250,000 + 658,000 (Bonus if completed in 3H)

Enemy: None

Mission 5C3: Re-Examining Options

You get to choose again this time between lowsec and nullsec only.
Proceed with either "5A: Two Steps Into Hell (nullsec)" or "Mission 5B: Playing If Safer (lowsec)" as you will fly essentially the same missions, but for the opposite side.

Afterwards proceed with "6 Almost Unmasked (Hyasyoda)"

Mission 6: Almost Unmasked (Hyasyoda)

5 jumps in high sec to talk to Arikio Kuretsu - take a codebreaker and suitable ship for the next mission

Agent: Katsen Isha

Location: Poinen

Reward: 250,000 + 1,690,000 (Bonus if completed in 6H)

Enemy: None

Mission 7: Some Light Theatrics

You need a ship fitted with a Data Analyzer

The habitation Module explodes and causes ~900 damage if you're still within 10 km

Habitation Mod was 54Km away from warp in

Simply use the Data Analyzer on the Habitation Mod - after a successful hack grab the people from the can, then fly away at least 10 km, and wait for explosion. (Mission doesn't complete if you just warp out).

Don't go afk, and pay attention while you are using the Data Analyzer - the Habitation Module explodes 30 seconds after a successful attempt - if you don't get the people out in this time I assume things will end badly...

Agent: Arikio Kuretsu

Location: Wuos

Reward: 20,000,000 + 1,660,000 (Bonus if completed in 6H)

Enemy: None

Mission 8: Untouchable

Once again go back and talk to Katsen Isha

Agent: Arikio Kuretsu

Location: Wuos

Reward: 250,000 + 245,000 (Bonus if completed in 1H)

Enemy: None

Mission 6: Too Close For Comfort (Nugoeihuvi)

Another choice: continue with either 7A or 7B.

Mission 7A: The Crimson Decoy

Combat Mission.

Enemy: Blood Raiders

Mission 7B: Preemptive Opportunities

Combat Mission.

Enemy: Mercenaries

Mission 9: A General's Best Friend

Encounter is 1 jump away in high sec

Take a highly tanked BS - Large amounts of Thermal, EM and Kinetic damage are served up

An acceleration gate is ~30Km away at warp in - shortly after you begin approaching it the first and only wave appears - Align to a station at this point and be ready to get out!

Wave is 6 BS (Sin) 10 Cruisers (Arazu) and 5 Frigs (Nemesis)

BS do large amounts of Thermal and Kinetic damage, but can be taken down fairly quickly

Cruisers shoot EM missiles and are also quite soft

Frigs did not web or warp disrupt me but don't count on this - they die very quickly to light drones.

I had to warp out several times in my Raven

After all NPCs have been dispatched, jump through the gate and approach the station (84Km away....)

When you get to within 15Km of the station the mission is flagged complete and you can complete it remotely.

Loot the wrecks!

This mission did not affect my Gallente standings at all

Blitz: You can blitz this mission in a covops (or any fast ship with a decent tank).

The gate is unlocked.

Burn to gate, jump and then burn to the station. There are no NPCs in the second room.

Mission 10: The Breakout

You need to have a Data Analyzer equiped and the Hacking skill at Level 3 or greater to complete this mission (Hacking 2 and 2 rigs worked)

You need to scan down the "Federation Detention Facility" Cosmic Signature for this mission

The mission states that this site is somewhere within the Aokinen constellation - I believe that there is one of these sites in every system in this constellation, as I have always found it in the Astoh system where this mission is accepted

Warp to the Detention Facility. The gate is not locked as long as you have the Federation Navy FOF in your cargo so all you need to do is approach and use it.

For those wishing to kill the NPCs, the first room contains 17 Frigs, 4 Cruisers and 7 BS

In the second room, approach any detention facility and hack it.

Once it has been successfully hacked, grab the prisoner and return to the agent.

Second room contains 8 Frigs

After the hack the NPCs will start shooting, but they hit with only 2 damage each.

It should be possible to catch 2 prisoners in the given time. The second can be sold via contract.

Blitz: buy the "Caldari Prisoners of War" on contracts.

Agent: Sinas Egassuo

Location: Caldari Navy Relay Nexus (Beacon) Astoh (System)

Reward: 20,000,000 + 1,570,000 (Bonus if completed in 6H)

Enemy: Gallente Federation

Mission 11: Whisper of a Conspiracy

This is a low-sec courier mission. The item is small so it can be carried in a shuttle or covops.
You need to travel approx. 6 jumps to a randomly selected nearby low-sec system
Warp to the mission objective, approach the damaged radio telescope, retrieve the encrypted data fragment and return to the agent

Agent: Sinas Egassuo

Location: Caldari Navy Relay Nexus (Beacon) Astoh (System)

Reward: 7,500,000 + 762,000 (Bonus if completed in 3H 30M)

Enemy: Nil

Mission 12: Practical Solutions

High sec courier with 3m^3 of cargo. Five jumps to Oipo then back to Sinas Egassuo.

Agent: Sinas Egassuo

Location: Caldari Navy Relay Nexus (Beacon) Astoh (System)

Reward: 2,500,000 + 229,000 (Bonus if completed in 1H 4M)

Enemy: None

Mission 13: Forewarning

Low-Sec courier, take 1 unit of Encoded Message to random low sec.

Agent: Sinas Egassuo

Location: Caldari Navy Relay Nexus (Beacon) Astoh (System)

Reward: 5,000,000 + 165,000 (Bonus if completed in 34M)

Enemy: Nil

Mission 14: The Knowledge To Act (Hyasyoda)

The last choice, select:

Home In Peace: leads to 25m ISK and Caldari State Faction standing increase as final reward

Slipping Away: leads to Hyasyoda Mobile Laboratory and Caldari State Faction standing increase as final reward

Mission 14: A Difference of Opinion (Nugoeihuvi)

The last choice, select:

Home In Peace: leads to 25m ISK and Caldari State Faction standing increase as final reward

Learning by Doing: leads to 20 Nugoehuvi Synth Blue Pill Boosters and Caldari State Faction standing increase as final reward

Mission 15A: Home In Peace (Caldari State)

Lowsec courier: transport 5000m^3 of Caldari POWs to Malkanen.

Mission 15B: Slipping away (Hyasyoda)

Report back to Arikio Kuretsu in Wuos (Best to arrive in a BS ready for the final mission).

Mission 15C: Learning by Doing (Nugoeihuvi)

Mission 16A: Across the Line (Hyasyoda)

Single pocket without acceleration gate. The objective is in the office facility, guarded by a single NPC battleship.

The following NPCs will spawn when the facility is closer tan ~125km: 9 Frigates, 4 Cruisers, and 6 Battleships.

Cruisers have very strong jams and range > 170km - expect to be nearly perma jammed.

Frigates warp scramble (2 warp strength).

With one meta 4 ECCM (96%) it is possible to avoid most - but not all - of the jams.

Because of the jams F.O.F. missiles might be effective. With good missile skills you can use FOF Cruise missiles from 200k+ which is well out of range from the NPCs.

Alternatively, equip a sensor booster to be able to target the jammers from outside their range.

You can also bring a friend in a fast frigate to draw their scrams and jams while you take those out. If the frigate maintains at least 600 m/s then it should be able to self-repair the reduced missile damage, but there is some more-sophisticated AI in this mission so the NPCs may switch targets anyway.

Very heavy damage is dealt by the BSs, which fire very long range torps - I had to warp out several times in my Raven.

If you warp to the facility at close range and get full room close-range aggro, expect in excess of 4000 pre-resistance DPS, primarily kinetic.

You can warp within the mission to structures. (In fact, since there is no aggression until you start to close the distance to the office facility, you can come in first with a MWD frigate and set up some bookmarks to use during combat. Then you will be able to warp around for awesome kiting, and each time you warp you will break all target locks and cause all the inbound torps to miss you. This method is great for a dedicated sentry drone ship (e.g. Dominix) since each warp breaks their jams so you can relaunch your sentries and assign them to another target before you are jammed again - your drones will continue to attack that target until it is destroyed, at which point you can scoop them, warp to another bookmark, and repeat.)

Once all NPCs have been killed warp/approach the office facility, get the family and return to the agent!

Agent: Arikio Kuretsu

Location: Wuos

Reward: One unit of Hyasyoda Research Laboratory + 1,740,000 (Bonus if completed in 6H)